Straddleboard toy aircraft



Jan. 28, 1930. I F. A. BERG Q 1,744,860

STRADDLEBOARD TOY AIRCRAFT Filed Feb. 25, 1927 I fi 6-2 C: rpzflfe/oe 6. asps INVENTOR.

I TORNEY Patented Jan. 28, 1930 PATENT OFFICE I FREDERICK A. BERG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS STRADDLEBOARD TOY AIRCRAFT Application filed February 25, 1927. Serial No. 170,894.

This invention relates to improved straddleboard toy aircraft, and has for one of its principal objects the provision of a toy vehicle which resembles an airplane in many of its aspects, and which, further, embodies as one of the movable portions thereof helicopter propellers.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide, in a toy airplane adapted to be operated by-a child, a manually driven device for operation on the ground such as the pavement or the like, propelled by the feet of the child by means of pedals applied to the front ordrivingwheels of the airplane.

Another important object of this invention is the provision, in a toy vehicle simulating an airplane, of a series of movable devices mounted on the vehicle, simulating the engines and propellers of an airplane, particularly of the helicopter type, these engines and propellers being mechanically driven when the vehicle is operated.

Another and still further important object of this invention is to provide, in-a toy vehicle .25 simulating a helicopter airplane, a single seat mounted upon a board adapted to be straddled by the operator in conjunction with a steering apparatus applied to the rear wheels of the vehicle.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be.v apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawings and following specification. V,

The invention, in-a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved toy airplane of this invention. a

Figure 2 is a side'elevation of the same, parts being broken away.

Figure 3 is a detail view of the device, taken on the line 33 of Figure: 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a detail view of the novel me chanical propulsion means for thevehicle.

Figure 5 is a rear view of the vehicle.

As shown in the drawings The reference numeral 10 indicates the 50 body of the toy airplane of this invention,

comprising mainly a pair of boards or the I like extending longitudinally thereof and spaced from each other and joined together at various portions along their'length. As bestshown in Figure 2, the boards are shaped in 5 such a way as to make the resemblance to an airplane more apparent.

Mountedat the front of the vehicle is a transversely extending member 12 simulating the elevating plane of a helicopter aircraft, and on top of this member 12 is mounted a pair of rotatable objects 14 simulating airs craft engines and having. attached thereto propeller blades 16 rotatable therewith. Mounted at the front of the device is a similar air cooled engine 18 with a propeller blade 20 attached thereto. The engines 14 and 18 and the propellers 16 and 20 are all rotatable and are mechanically driven when the vehicle is operated. This is accomplished by means of a belt 22 operating on a pulley 24 (Figure 3), which belt in turn. drives a pulley 26-at the top of the device, this pulley being mounted on a shaft 28 which extends across the machine directly beneath the lifting wing 12, and which has at its end friction driving discs 30. Adjacent the; middle of the shaft is anotherfriction driving disc 32. The driving discs 30, in turn, impart motion to driving discs 34 directly beneath and connected to the engines .14 and propellers 16. The driving disc 32 isoperatively connected with another disc 36, which in turn operatesthrough a shaft 38, the engine 18, and the propeller 20. B5 Motion of the vehicle itself is accomplished by means of pedals40 mounted on shafts 42, which in'turn are directly connected to internal gears 44 having in the interior thereof pinions 46 which aremounted on shafts48 connected to driving wheels.50.", The wheels themselves and their mountings are held in place by means of suitable brackets or the like 52, which extend outwardly and downwardly from the body members or boards 10.

The straddleboard 10 is shaped adjacent its middle to receive. a saddle or the like 60,

which permits of easy operation of the device and at the sametime affording a comfortable seating position.

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At the rear of the device is a supporting dolly 62 having a pair of wheels 64 affixed at the lower end thereof, and this dolly also serves as a steering member, this being accomplished by means of steering rods 66 attached to outstanding lugs 68 forming a portion of the dolly, as best shown in Figure 5.

The forward ends of these steering rods are connected, respectively, above and below a pivotal point 70 of a steering rod 72, which is mounted between two boards 10, as best shown in Figure 2, the vehicle being steered by either pulling the steering lever toward or pushing the same away from the operator, somewhat in the manner of the devices used for elevating or lowering an actual airplane when in motion. A rudder 74 is attached to the dolly and adapted to move therewith, the dolly and rudder being mounted in hinge straps 76 affixed to the body 10. An elevator plane 80 is mounted at the rear of the device and may, if desired, serve as a seat for an extra passenger, the same being fixed to the body 10. For the purpose of protecting furniture or the like in rooms in which the device might be used, strips of rubber or other cushioning elements are applied around the edges of the apparatus, as best shown at 86 in the drawings.

It is apparent from the above disclosure that herein is provided an aircraft toy vehicle in the form of a helicopter airplane, and which will form an interesting and suitable toy for children of all ages, especially as many portions of the device are actually mechanically driven when the same is in operation. At the same time the number and construction of the movable parts is such as to comprise a device which is simple of operation and unlikely to get out of order, while at the same time affording a very interesting mechanical toy.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A toy aircraft, having a body in the form of a straddleboard, a seat on said body, front and rear supporting wheels for the vehicle, and means to propel said front wheels from the seat, said means comprising axles rotatable with the wheels, pinions on the axles, and rotatable internal gears for driving said pinions, and a plurality of rotatable objects simulating engines and propellers mounted on said vehicle.

2. A to aircraft, having a body in the form of a stra dleboard, a seat on said body, front and rear supporting wheels for the vehicle, means to propel said front wheels from the seat, said means comprising axles rotatable with the wheels, pinions on the axles, and rotatable internal gears for driving said pinions, and a plurality of rotatable objects simulating engines and propellers mounted on said vehicle, together with means for mechanically rotating said objects upon operation of the vehicle.

3. A toy aircraft, having a body in the form of a straddleboard, a seat on said body, supporting wheels for the vehicle, means to propel said wheels from the seat, and a plu rality of rotatable objects simulating engines and propellers mounted on said vehicle, together with means for mechanically rotating said objects upon operation of the vehicle, said means comprising a pulley mounted between the operating pedals, a belt driven by the pulley, and a further system of pulleys, shafts, and friction driving discs communicating motion to said engines and propellers.

4. In a toy aircraft, a body comprising a board adapted to be straddled by the operator of the vehicle, steering wheels for the vehicle mounted at the rear thereof for horizontal pivotal motion, and means for operating said steering wheels, said means comprising a steering post mounted in the strad dleboard, said steering post pivoted for operating movement longitudinally of the plane and operating rods connecting the steering post to the steering wheels, said rods having their respective ends mounted above and below the pivot point of the steering post with their other ends mounted respectively at either side of the steering wheel.

5. In a toy aircraft, a body comprising a pair of aligned boards adapted to be straddled by the operator of the vehicle, a pair of steering wheels for the vehicle at the rear thereof, and means for operating said steering wheels, said means comprising a steering post mounted inthe rear of the straddleboard, and two steering rods connecting said steering wheels to said steering post, said steering post pivoted in the body for movement longitudinally thereof toward and from the operator, one rod being connected above the said pivot point, and the other below the same.

6. In a toy aircraft, a body comprising a board adapted to be straddled by the operator of the vehicle, steering wheels for the vehicle mounted at the rear thereof for horizontal pivotal motion, and means for operating said steering wheels, said means comprising a steering post mounted in the straddleboard, and steering rods connecting said steering wheels to said steering post, said steering post pivoted in the body for movement longitudinally thereof toward and from the operator, one of said steering rods connected to the steering post above the pivotal point and the other below said point, and a rudder hingedly mounted on the body and movable with the steering wheels. 

